way: Meaning and Definition of
way
Pronunciation: (wā), [key] — n.
- manner, mode, or fashion: a new way of looking at a matter; to reply in a polite way.
- characteristic or habitual manner: Her way is to work quietly and never complain.
- a method, plan, or means for attaining a goal: to find a way to reduce costs.
- a respect or particular: The plan is defective in several ways.
- a direction or vicinity: Look this way. We're having a drought out our way.
- passage or progress on a course: to make one's way on foot; to lead the way.
- Often,distance: They've come a long way.
- a path or course leading from one place to another: What's the shortest way to town?
- Icknield Way.
- an old Roman or pre-Roman road:Icknield Way.
- a minor street in a town:He lives in Stepney Way.
- a road, route, passage, or channel (usually used in combination): highway; waterway; doorway.
- a right of way.
- any line of passage or travel, used or available: to blaze a way through dense woods.
- space for passing or advancing: to clear a way through the crowd.
- Often,a habit or custom: The grandmother lived by the ways of the old country.
- course or mode of procedure that one chooses or wills: They had to do it my way.
- condition, as to health, prosperity, or the like: to be in a bad way.
- range or extent of experience or notice: the best device that ever came in my way.
- a course of life, action, or experience: The way of transgressors is hard.
- business: to be in the haberdashery way.
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- ways,two or more ground ways down which a hull slides in being launched.
- movement or passage through the water.
- a longitudinal strip, as in a planer, guiding a moving part along a surface.
- in the course of one's remarks; incidentally: By the way, have you received that letter yet?
- to number articles by way of distinguishing them.
- by the route of; through; via.
- as a method or means of:to number articles by way of distinguishing them.
- Brit.in the state or position of (being, doing, etc.); ostensibly:He is by way of being an authority on the subject.
- to come to one; befall one: A bit of good fortune came my way.
- The army gave way before the advance of the enemy.
- to withdraw or retreat:The army gave way before the advance of the enemy.
- to collapse; yield; break down:You will surely give way under the strain of overwork.
- He gave way to their entreaties.
- to yield to:He gave way to their entreaties.
- to become unrestrained or uninhibited; lose control of (one's temper, emotions, etc.):I gave way to my rage and ordered them from the house.
- Neither side wants to go all the way with nuclear warfare.
- to do completely or wholeheartedly.
- to take a decisive action, esp. one from which no retreat is possible:Neither side wants to go all the way with nuclear warfare.
- to engage in sexual intercourse.
- to do something that inconveniences one; make an unusual effort: Please don't go out of your way on my account.
- to have a charming, persuasive, or effective manner of dealing with: He has a way with children; to have a way with words.
- (esp. of a man) to have sexual intercourse with, sometimes by intimidating or forcing one's partner.
- pregnant.
- after a fashion; to some extent: In a way, she's the nicest person I know.
- forming a hindrance, impediment, or obstruction: She might have succeeded in her ambition, had not circumstances been in her way.
- In fashion she has always led the way.
- to go along a course in advance of others, as a guide.
- to take the initiative; be first or most prominent:In fashion she has always led the way.
- to make one's way through the mud.
- to go forward; proceed:to make one's way through the mud.
- to achieve recognition or success; advance:to make one's way in the world.
- Make way for the king!
- to allow to pass; clear the way:Make way for the king!
- to relinquish to another; withdraw:He resigned to make way for a younger man.
- Naut.to make forward or astern progress even though engines are not running.
- not under any circumstances; no: Apologize to him? No way!
- I feel better, now that one problem is out of the way.
- in a state or condition so as not to obstruct or hinder.
- dealt with; disposed of:I feel better, now that one problem is out of the way.
- murdered:to have a person put out of the way.
- out of the frequented way; at a distance from the usual route.
- improper; amiss:There was something decidedly out of the way about her explanation.
- extraordinary; unusual:Such behavior was out of the way for him.
- See(def. 2).
- to regard as suitable or possible; consider seriously: We couldn't see our way clear to spending so much money at once.
- to start out; travel; go: He took his way across the park and headed uptown.
way
Pronunciation: (wā), [key] — adv.
- away; from this or that place: Go way.
- to a great degree or at quite a distance; far: way too heavy; way down the road.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.